Tomato Staking

Ok, I have recently been doing some reading on a parenting practice called Tomato Staking. I have to admit, that I have mostly been reading from a website called Raising Godly Tomatos. This particular website seems very controversial, and I'm still trying to decide what I think about it. A lot of the ideas seem to fit in with ideas from Charlotte Mason - but I am thinking that the way this site does it just doesn't feel right. I do need to look at other information about the general idea.

Tomato Staking seems to be mainly keeping your children with you almost all the time, so that they aren't getting into trouble. The website I mentioned uses it to train their children in total obedience - and done with a good attitude. They do use spanking.

So, here are my thoughts so far. I think that Tomato Staking, as far as keeping your children near you while training makes a lot of sense. I see this as doing the family chores together, having all the children in the same room while doing schooling, etc. I do think that children need to have time on their own while playing - but if there are problems, bring them back.

I do like the practice on obedience - figuring out what you want the child to do when you call, and have them do it over and over until they do it right - for example. I guess I just worry about anything that demands total obedience without thought. Yes, children generally should be obeying their parents without question.... assuming the parents aren't asking anything wrong of them. But obeying other adults takes more thought for the children. I don't want a child so obedient that they are in danger - or adults that are so obedient that they will do things morally wrong on an order. (I'm thinking here of soldiers obeying a command that is from a superior - but is just plain wrong.) Obedience takes thought - because a part of being human is knowing when not to obey.

Anyway - Tomato Staking is something I'm going to be doing more research on - and a LOT of praying.